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OAN Staff Sophia Flores
12:41 PM – Tuesday, February 24, 2026
California Representative Mike Thompson has been selected by House Democrats to serve as the Democrat Party’s “designated survivor” for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union (SOTU) address.
On Monday, Thompson (D-Calif.) revealed that he had been tapped by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to watch the president’s address from a secure, undisclosed location off campus from Capitol Hill.
A designated survivor, also called a designated successor, is a high-ranking U.S. government official who is deliberately kept away from major events where most of the presidential line of succession gathers in one place, such as the SOTU address, presidential inaugurations or joint sessions of Congress.
The purpose is to ensure continuity of government in the extremely unlikely event of a catastrophic disaster, attack, or mass-casualty incident that could wipe out the president, vice president, speaker of the House, and others in the line of succession. This practice safeguards against a “decapitation” of the executive branch and preserves constitutional order.
While he will not watch the speech in person, his guest, Marine Corps veteran, small business owner and City Councilmember Bernie Narvaez from Napa, California, will be in attendance.
“Bernie is a shining example of what it means to be a public servant and to fulfill the American Dream,” Thompson said when announcing Narvaez as his guest.
“I am honored Bernie is joining me in Washington, D.C., as a representative for the hardworking people of our district. As a veteran, as a small business owner, as an immigrant, as a local elected official, and as a husband and father, Bernie knows all too well the importance of standing up for our country, defending our democracy, and lowering costs for hardworking people,” he added.
Thompson is not the only designated survivor, as the practice of selecting designated congressional survivors includes two senators and two-House members — one from each party. The White House also selects a designated survivor from the Cabinet.
However, that particular individual’s identity is not revealed until after Trump’s speech begins.
Should a catastrophic event occur, the Cabinet member would assume the presidency as they are in the executive line of succession.
The designated survivor “tradition” began in the 1950’s during the height of the Cold War. Although the designated survivor is selected as a continuity-of-government precaution, the role has never been activated in U.S. history, and no designated survivor has ever had to assume the presidency following a SOTU address.
During Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress in 2025, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins was selected by the president as his designated survivor.
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